Blue Island Man Killed 10-Year-Old Girl In Rockford: Police

ROCKFORD, IL — A Blue Island man is charged in the death of a 10-year-old girl in Rockford, according to police.

Antonio Monroe, 44, faces charges of first-degree murder, attempted murder, two counts of kidnapping, and aggravated battery and strangulation, Rockford police said.

Officers responded shortly after noon Saturday when a woman told police her 6-year-old daughter came home and reported a man took her 10-year-old sister, according to police. About 30 minutes later, officers were flagged down by a person who found an unresponsive girl outside a home in the 1200 block of 9th Avenue, police said.

Officers administered CPR and the girl was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, according to police.

Authorities established a perimeter and an officer with a K-9 found Monroe, who matched the suspect description, near 9th Street and Woodruff Avenue, police said, adding Monroe was taken into custody after a brief struggle.

Monroe is a registered sex offender with a prior conviction for criminal sexual assault with force in Peoria County, according to state police.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police at 815-966-2900 or contact the department via Facebook or Twitter. To submit an anonymous tip, text “RPDTIP” and the tip to 847411, get the Rockford PD app in the App Store or the Google Play Store, or leave an anonymous tip with Rockford Area Crime Stoppers at 815-963-7867.